Diesel booster

ABSTRACT

A source of constant pressure propane gas is inserted in the air intake manifold of a Diesel engine at a volume rate proportional to the Diesel fuel consumption. A specially designed metering valve coupled to the Diesel engine fuel pump facilitates regulation of the propane gas.

United States Patent Hallberg 1 DIESEL BOOSTER [72] Inventor: John E. Hallberg, Oakland, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Industrial Propane, Inc.

[22] Filed: Sept. 14, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 71,797

[52] US. Cl. "123/121, 123/27 GE [51] Int. Cl ..F02b 49/00 [58] Field of Search ...123/27, 27 GE, 119,120, 12],

[56 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS [451 Oct. 17, 1972 2,817,324 12/1957 Sievers ..l23/l20 2,869,527 l/1959 Groves ..123/139 56 2,409,611 10/1946 Bodine ..f. ..l23/121 Primary Examiner-Laurence M. Goodridge Attorney-Limbach, Limbach & Sutton 57 ABSTRACT r A source of constant pressure propane gas is inserted in the air intake manifold of a Diesel engine at a volume rate proportional to the Diesel fuel consumption. A specially designed metering valve coupled to the Diesel engine fuel pump facilitates regulation of the propane gas.

I 1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures 5/1969 Laubach ..1 23 /;7 0 v PATENTEDIIET 11 m2 3,698,365

INVENTOR- JOHN E. HALLBERG ATTORNEYS DIESEL BOOSTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to diesel engine power boosters and more particular to apparatus for mixing propane vapor in the air stream of a Diesel engine manifold at a rate proportional to the Diesel fuel consumption. a

It is well known in the prior art that the insertion of propane gas (vaporized liquid propane) into the air intake manifold of a Diesel engine has many advantages. For example, carbon deposits in combustion chambers are reduced and premature oil dilution is reduced. Moreover, for a given Diesel fuel consumption, the addition of propane gas will result in greater horsepower or conversely for a given horsepower, less Diesel fuel is required when propane gas is used. In the latter case a significant reduction in smoke emission is achieved.

In one typical prior art system pressurized propane gas is fed to the Diesel engine through a fixed orifice.

The result is a constant supply of propane fuel at a con-- stant rate, regardless of Diesel fuel load. This approach is a compromise because at the peak power point the least proportion of propane would be added to the Diesel fuel while at lower horsepower then would be too much propane added.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,551 to M.T. Laubach, an apertured chamber having a movable piston therein is used to meter propane flow in accordance with the Diesel engine throttle. The metering member disclosed in that patent suffers from certain practical drawbacks: the propane may be varied only in discrete incremented steps instead of being infinitely variable; the apertures in the chamber periphery must be extremely small in diameter thus making them susceptible to dirt and surface dust clogging; and the piston seal members will tend to wear. 7

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the problem by supplying propane in the same proportion as the Diesel fuel flow. By metering the propane flow to match the Diesel curve the optimum propane/Diesel fuel ratio may be achieved at all horsepowers. In achieving the optimum ratio at all engine conditions, the smoke exhaust of the engine is thereby also minimized throughout the engine operating conditions. These and other advantages will become apparent as the specification is read and understood.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A source of vaporized propane is filtered and controlled by a solenoid operated lock off valve that applies the propane gas to a pressure regulator when the Diesel engine ignition is on. Constant pressure propane gas from the regulator is applied to a metering valve. The valve is machanically linked to the Diesel fuel pump linkage thus providing a wider orifice for propane flow through the valve as the Diesel fuel increases. The metering valve is designed to provide a flow volume tailored to the Diesel fuel curve. Metered propane is injected by an open ended elbow pipe into the air intake manifold of the Diesel engine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the diesel engine booster according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTIONOF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1, vapor from a liquid propane tank (not shown) enters a fitting 2B and passes through a filter 30 that removes undesired particulates. A solenoid lock-off valve 32, controlled electrically through control wires 34 that are connected to the vehicle ignition switch (not shown), permits filtered vapor to pass through a coupling 26 to a conventional pressure regulator 24 only when the ignition is on. The regulator provides a constant pressure output; the pressure may be chosen to match the requirements of the Diesel engine. A larger engine will require a higher pressure and viceversa. Constant pressure vapor from regulator 24 is coupled to a hose 18 through coupling 20 to a screw fitting 14 through a coupling 16. Fitting l4 screws into a metering valve 12 that is described in greater detail hereinafter. Valve 12 controls the volume flow of vapor in proportion to the amount of diesel fuel flow. A clamp 42 is connected to the diesel pump linkage (not shown) and mechanically couples the diesel pump linkage movement to the metering valve through a conventional pivot 40 linkage 38, pivot 37' and arm 36. Arm 36 turns a shaft 50 that controls vapor flow through the valve. Details of the shaft 50 are disclosed hereinafter. An elbow fitting 10 screws into the output of valve 12 and is connected by a coupling 8 to a hose 6. The hose is connected through a coupling 4 to an open ended elbow tube 2. Tube 2 is inserted with its open end pointed in the direction of air flow in the air intake manifold 3 (shown in cut-away section) of the diesel engine.

In FIG. 2 a cross-sectional plan view of the metering valve 12 is shown in greater detail. Four holes 44 are provided for attaching the valve to the diesel engine, for example. An input hole 48 threaded for screw fitting 14 is provided and an output screw threaded hole 46 is provided for elbow screw fitting 10. A cylindrical hole 51 perpendicular to the axis of holes 46 and 48 is provided. Hole 51 is open on one end and solid shaft 50 having a V cutaway portion 52 is inserted therein as shown in FIG. 3. The V preferably forms an angle of about 45. Screw holes 48 and 46 are of substantially constant diameter throughout their length and open directly into hole 51 as shown in FIG. 4. Thus the rotation of the V-cut shaft 50 determines the opening between the input 48 and output 46 and controls vapor flow. It has been found that the flow control provided by the V-cut shaft 50 is particularly suited to the rate of vapor propane flow necessary to match the Diesel engine curve.

Ordinarily, the valve 12 or 12 will be mounted on or near the Dieselengine and must therefore be compatible therewith. It has been found that it is suitable to make the body of valve 12 of close grained cast iron, such as cast Meehanite, because it has a more constant coefficient of expansion than brass or aluminum. The shaft 50 may be made of brass or stainless steel both of which are compatible with the Meehanite body.

Iclaim: dicular to and intersecting the axis of said aperl. A booster for use with a diesel engine having an air tures and having one closed end, and a solid cylinintake ma fuel p p and ge for y g drical shaft rotatably fitted into said cylindrical the dieselfuelconsumpfion Comprising! aperture, said shaft having a V-cutaway portion means connectible to a source of vaporized liquid 5 along i length at a i i dj id input Propane for Providing gas a vapor f and output apertures, whereby the rotation of said sure selected to match the size of the diesel engine, shaft provides a continuously variable regulation continuously variable metering valve means receiving said constant vapor pressure propane gas for providing continuously variable regulation of the volume flow of said propane gas in direct proportion to the fuel consumption of the diesel engine, said metering valve means comprising a body having an aperture for receiving said constant vapor pressure propane gas, and an output aperture, said [5 input and output apertures having substantially the same longitudinal axis through said body, a cylindrical aperture having a longitudinal axis perpenof gas flow between said input and output apertures,

linkage means coupled between said cylindrical shaft and said diesel engine fuel pump linkage, and

an open ended elbow tube connected to receive metered propane gas from said output aperture of said metering valve means, said elbow tube inserted with its open end pointed in the direction of air flow in the air intake manifold. 

1. A booster for use with a diesel engine having an air intake manifold, a fuel pump and linkage for varying the diesel fuel consumption comprising: means connectible to a source of vaporized liquid propane for providing gas at a constant vapor pressure selected to match the size of the diesel engine, continuously variable metering valve means receiving said constant vapor pressure propane gas for providing continuously variable regulation of the volume flow of said propane gas in direct proportion to the fuel consumption of the diesel engine, said metering valve means comprising a body having an aperture for receiving said constant vapor pressure propane gas, and an output aperture, saiD input and output apertures having substantially the same longitudinal axis through said body, a cylindrical aperture having a longitudinal axis perpendicular to and intersecting the axis of said apertures and having one closed end, and a solid cylindrical shaft rotatably fitted into said cylindrical aperture, said shaft having a V-cutaway portion along its length at a position adjacent said input and output apertures, whereby the rotation of said shaft provides a continuously variable regulation of gas flow between said input and output apertures, linkage means coupled between said cylindrical shaft and said diesel engine fuel pump linkage, and an open ended elbow tube connected to receive metered propane gas from said output aperture of said metering valve means, said elbow tube inserted with its open end pointed in the direction of air flow in the air intake manifold. 